Habitual Truancy

At MMSD, we cherish our partnership with families. We will be seeking your help in the event that your child becomes Habitually Truant. Wisconsin State Statute requires compulsory school attendance and defines Habitual Truancy as “a pupil who is absent without an acceptable excuse for part or all of 5 or more days on which school is held during a school semester.”

You can take steps to prevent your child from becoming Habitually Truant by:

Contacting your school every time your child is not in attendance. (see Reporting an Absence for more information)

Working with your school when they contact you by phone, email or letter regarding your child’s attendance.

Reaching out to your school’s Student Support Staff if you have concerns about your child’s attendance.

In the event your child does become Habitual Truant, your school is required to begin the Habitual Truancy Process.

This process consists of four parts:

A notification will be sent, by first class mail, when your child becomes Habitually Truant.

A conference will be arranged, that requires your involvement, during which your child’s attendance will be discussed and we will work together to find solutions that address the truancy.

An Attendance Improvement Plan will be developed at the conference focusing on those solutions.

Your child’s attendance will be monitored for improvement and a 30-day Review Conference will be arranged that, again, requires your involvement.

The purpose of the Habitual Truancy Process is to identify the cause(s) of attendance problems and identify supports within the school and community that can assist your student and family.

IMPORTANT: All students who are classified as being Habitually Truant are in violation of Wisconsin law, and as such the student, and their parent(s)/guardian(s), may be required to appear in court. Depending upon the age of the student and circumstances related to the absences, the court may levy sanctions and require that the parent/guardian cause the child to attend school. In addition, the court may order sanctions requiring that the student receive counseling and/or perform community service.